Politicians and commentators like to constantly remind people that their rights are at risk, their way of life is under threat.

State Rep. Paul Schemel, R-Greencastle, hosted a forum this week on how churches can protect themselves from discrimination lawsuits, thereby preserving their rights to live by their principles and beliefs.

The timing is interesting, to say the least.

But let’s address the premise first, that churches and religious organizations must protect themselves from discrimination suits. There’s a need to help businesses and institutions better understand anti-discrimination rules and regulations of course, which was one function of the forum.

But simply put, the answer to protecting oneself from discrimination accusations is, don’t discriminate. And most people know very well when they are doing it but want permission to continue. The forum might have been more appropriately titled, How to discriminate without getting into legal trouble, because at its heart that is what many ideologically based groups want to do.

It’s our nature to divide the human race into two groups – us and them, and to fight to maintain that distinction. Otherwise, how do we keep our identities? Those like Jesus and Mother Teresa who truly don’t discriminate – that is, don’t hold themselves above others – are so unusual that they are remembered and revered, if not emulated.

But they are few and far between and these days, unfortunately, it sometimes takes the government to tell us, do unto others… It’s a good time of year to think about such things.

Of course, there’s a political reason underlying these forums hosted by elected officials. We may soon see a trend of more state lawmakers meeting with religious groups to discuss government overreach and oppression – like the series of meetings lawmakers have held in the past year or so with gun owners around the state about preserving their rights (though for the sake of balance society at large might be better served by less talk about gun rights and more about gun victims' rights).

Politicians and commentators like to constantly remind people that their rights are at risk, their way of life is under threat -- and they need to vote for the politician who is on their side, and keep supporting a corporation’s bottom line by watching cable TV. Donald Trump is the unrivaled exemplar of this tactic.

But what if lawmakers held public forums with groups that shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, aid abused women and children and people helplessly addicted to drugs – to see how government could support and enhance their work? Or met with teachers and children about the impact of diminishing and unreliable school funding on children’s futures?

It’s one thing to host “senior expos,” as many lawmakers do, to be seen by an important voting bloc and to share information about government programs, but what about a forum on the bankrupting cost and woeful quality of much state-approved elder care?

There’s no small irony in the fact that lawmakers hold forums on “rights” at risk during a 160-day state budget impasse that is hurting their most vulnerable constituents daily. Tell us again which rights we ought to talk about?

Becky Bennett is editor of Public Opinion. Email babennett@publicopinionnews.com